Vietnam Roundup: 5G deployment, visa exemptions, $1.17 billion for social housing
Vietnam ranks 10th globally for visits to Japan in 2024
In 2024, Vietnam ranked 10th globally and 4th in Southeast Asia for visitors to Japan, drawing in 621,100 Vietnamese tourists—an increase of 8.2% from 2023. In January 2025, Japan welcomed 50,400 Vietnamese travellers, a substantial year-on-year rise of 13%. Notably, Vietnamese tourists were ranked 13th in spending, contributing ¥136.4 billion ($923 million) to Japan's economy. Vietnam attracted 711,464 Japanese visitors in 2024, with half choosing to explore Ho Chi Minh City.
Deployment of 5G for the first time overseas
Viettel High Tech Industries Corporation, a key player within Viettel Group, has forged a partnership with Emirates Integrated Telecommunications (DU) and High Cloud Technologies for the deployment of 5G solutions in the Middle East. This is Vietnam's first international deployment of 5G equipment. Announced at Mobile World Congress 2025, the collaboration is focused on rigorous testing of advanced 5G OpenRAN and private networks within DU’s infrastructure. The objective is to enhance network capacity and support the development of innovations such as smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Extension of visa exemptions for 12 countries to 2028
The Vietnamese government has announced an extension of visa exemptions for citizens from 12 specific countries—namely Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland—until March 14, 2028. This policy allows a visa-free stay of 45 days for eligible travellers, irrespective of their passport type or purpose of entry, subject to meeting entry criteria. The revised policy is set to take effect from March 15, 2025, replacing former provisions that allowed only a 15-day visa-free stay, aimed at boosting tourism and enhancing bilateral relationships.
$1.17 billion social housing loan package
The Vietnamese government is introducing a VND30-trillion (US$1.17 billion) loan package designed to assist buyers, renters, and homeowners in need of construction or repair. Launched under the directive of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, this initiative aims to resolve the disbursement difficulties that have hampered the existing VND120-trillion ($4.69 billion) credit programme, which has thus far disbursed only VND2.85 trillion ($111.5 million) due to a reliance on commercial banks and fluctuating interest rates. The new package, financed by the state budget and managed via the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, seeks to improve access to affordable financing and stimulate the development of social housing projects.
Establishment of committee for private economic development
Vietnam Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has established a national steering committee to develop a private economic development project. He leads the committee, with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Chí Dũng and Minister of Finance Nguyễn Văn Thắng serving as deputy heads. Members include representatives from various ministries, city chairpersons, and other important political bodies. The committee will focus on creating an initiative for submission to the Politburo, emphasising centralism, democracy, and unified direction. The Ministry of Finance will act as the committee's permanent agency, responsible for forming teams to support project development.
